Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has announced several new initiatives aimed at helping teenagers on its platforms combat sextortion. The most significant of these is the expanded availability of ‘Take It Down’, an online tool financed by Meta and operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). In addition, Meta has updated its Sextortion hub with new guidance and is launching a global campaign to raise awareness about sextortion.
Take It Down: A Tool to Prevent Non-consensual Sharing of Intimate Imagery
‘Take It Down’ is designed to prevent the spread of non-consensual intimate imagery. Initially launched in English and Spanish, the tool is now available in 25 additional languages. It empowers teenagers to regain control of their personal intimate photos and prevents ex-partners and scammers from disseminating them online. The system can be used by individuals under 18 who fear their content may be posted online, by parents or trusted adults on behalf of a young person, and by adults concerned about images taken of them when they were under 18.
The system operates by allowing users to assign a unique hash, a digital fingerprint in the form of a numerical code, to their image or video privately from their own device. Once the hash has been submitted to NCMEC, Meta can locate copies of the image or video and remove them. It can also help prevent anyone threatening to post them in the future from doing so. Importantly, teenagers only need to submit the hash, not the intimate image or video itself.
Updated Sextortion Hub and Global Awareness Campaign
Alongside the expansion of ‘Take It Down’, Meta is updating its Sextortion hub with new guidance for teenagers on how to regain control if they are being targeted. The guidance also includes advice for parents on how to support their teenagers if they are being targeted. Meta collaborated with Thorn, a nonprofit that develops technology to protect children from sexual abuse, to create the updated guidance.
Meta is also launching a global campaign to ensure teenagers and parents are aware of these scams and how to avoid them. The company will be partnering with safety organizations and creators to raise awareness on the issue.
Meta’s Response to Criticism
The new updates come in the wake of criticism directed at Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg during a Senate hearing. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham accused the company of having “blood on its hands”, citing a case where a man’s son committed suicide after being targeted in a sextortion ring on Instagram. Zuckerberg was later urged to apologize to the numerous parents in the audience who were holding up pictures of children they lost due to online abuse they faced on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Zuckerberg testified alongside the CEOs of Snap, Meta, TikTok, X, and Discord.
